This invention relates to medical safety equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a safety device for safely sheathing and unsheathing a needle and securely holding a needle.
A major concern for many health care providers is the risk of being exposed to infectious diseases. Of particular concern is the common but potentially life-threatening act of handling hypodermic needles. Health care providers handle hypodermic needles in a variety of settings for a variety of reasons. Included in the uses of hypodermic needles is the administration of medications and the drawing of blood and other bodily fluids. Whenever a used hypodermic needle is handled though, there exists the possibility that the health care provider handling the needle may be accidentally or inadvertently pricked by the now used needle. According to the latest figures available, it is estimated that at least 600,000 health workers accidentally prick themselves each year.
Previously, devices aimed at reducing the potential of inadvertent self-inflicted needle pricks by health care workers proposed have been unduly complicated to manufacture and use. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,964, there is disclosed a device that receives the sheath of a needle and engages the sheath by way of rotatable locking means. The device disclosed therein is complex in construction and thus not conducive for use as a disposable device.